Bristle feed mechanism for twisted bristle artificial tree branch making machine



1970 w. w. OAKEY 3,489,462

BRISTLE FEED MECHANISM FOR TWISTED BRISTLE ARTIFICIAL TREE BRANCH MAKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20,- 1967 INVENTOR. WALTER W. OAKEY ATTORNE United States Patent 01" 3,489,462 BRISTLE FEED MECHANISM FOR TWISTED BRISTLE ARTIFICIAL TREE BRANCH MAK- ING MACHINE Walter W. Oakey, Nansemond County, Va., assignor to Star Band Company, Inc., Portsmouth, Va., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 669,089 Int. Cl. A46d 3/00 U.S. Cl. 300--2 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A twisted bristle artificial tree branch making machine including an improved bristle feed mechanism having a circumferentially toothed bristle feed wheel depositing bristles from a magazine between a pair of upper conveyor bands and a pair of lower conveyor bands carrying the bristles to a pair of die rollers. A central, circumferentially disposed groove extending deeper into the feed wheel than the teeth brings a lower wire to the die rollers to pass therethrough beneath the bristles, and an upper wire is brought vertically downwardly through the machine to the die rollers to pass therethrough above the bristles. The machine includes means for interrupting the feeding of bristles to the conveyor bands at predetermined intervals.

This invention relates generally to a machine for making twisted bristle artificial tree branches, and more particularly to an improved bristle feed mechanism incorporated therein.

Artificial tree branches manufactured according to the present invention resemble the twisted bristle brushes shown in FIG. 13 of the drawings in U.S. Patent No. 2,- 903,299 granted on Sept. 8, 1959-, to Theodore Marks, and may be produced on machines such as that disclosed in this prior art patent; as well as the machines disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,742,327 granted on Apr. 17, 1956, to Theodore Marks, and in U.S. Patent No. 3,072,440 granted on Jan. 8, 1963, to Alfred Norris. The machines shown in each of these prior art patents include means for bringing bristles into contact with overlying and underlying substantially horizontally disposed wires, which are intended to clamp the bristles disposed therebetween at the midpoints thereof in somewhat abutting side-to-side relation over a considerable length of the wires before the wires are twisted to form brushes of the type hereinbefore mentioned. It will be immediately apparent, however, that such prior art machines may not be wholly adequate for the consistent attainment of the results desired, inasmuch as bristles may readily drop from between the upper and lower wires drawn through these machines due to insufficient clamping action thereof prior to twisting, resulting in the production of articles having non-uniform bristle distribution as well as the costly loss of bristles. The improved bristle feed mechanism for such machines forming the subject matter of the present application is intended to obviate the drawbacks of these prior art machines in the production of the hereinbefore mentioned articles.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is the provision of an improved bristle feed mechanism in an artificial tree branch making machine for assuring the production of consistently uniformly bristled branches.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of an improved bristle feed mechanism in an artificial tree branch making machine for eliminating the loss of bristles and ensuing loss of labor in the production of bristled branches.

3,489,462 Patented Jan. 13, 1970 According to the present invention, the foregoing and other objects are attained by providing, in a machine such as that shown in US. Patent No. 2,742,327 for making bristled articles of the cylindrical type in which bristles are secured at the midpoints thereof in spaced relation between strands of intertwisted wires, a pair of die rollers through which a pair of wires having bristles positioned therebetween are drawn immediately prior to the intertwisting of the wires, as well as means for bringing the upper of the wires vertically downwardly towards the die rollers and improved means for bringing bristles and the lower of the wires towards the die rollers. The bristle feed mechanism includes a circumferentially toothed wheel rotatable in a vertical plane; the teeth thereof extending into a bristle magazine to pick up bristles disposed transversely thereto at the midpoints thereof. The bristle magazine includes suitable means to force bristles into contact with the feed wheel. Bristles picked up between the teeth of the feed wheel are brought by the rotation thereof between a pair of parallelly spaced upper and a pair of parallelly spaced lower flexible, endless conveyor bands passing over rollers situated adjacent the feed wheel and further passing over the die rollers on each side of the point thereof where the wires pass therebetween. The feed wheel is further provided with a circumferential, centrally disposed groove extending deeper thereinto than the teeth; the lower of the mentioned wires being brought around a substantial portion of the feed wheel in this groove and thence towards the die rollers. When the wires and bristles are drawn through the die rollers, causing rotation thereof, the conveyor bands move to bring a steady flow of bristles to the die rollers; and feed wheel rotation, caused by the movement of the wire in the groove thereof, brings a steady flow of bristles towards the conveyor bands. The bristle feed mechanism also includes an element having an arcuate and section pivotally mounted adjacent each side of the feed wheel automatically actuatable to press bristles back into the magazine beyond the reach of the feed wheel teeth to interrupt the feeding of bristles to the conveyor bands at predetermined intervals.

A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by references to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of the machine showing the upper wire feed and the bristle and lower wire feed mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the bristle and lower wire feed, taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the means for interrupting the feed of bristles in the machine, taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of the means for interrupting the feed of bristles in the machine, taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate the same or identical parts throughout the several views, and more specifically to FIG. 1, there is shown a portion of a machine corre sponding to the machine disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,742,327, and having a pair of parallelly disposed, transversely spaced, longitudinal elements 11 corresponding to the bed element designated by the reference numeral 26 in U.S. Patent No. 2,742,327. Longitudinal elements 11 are supported above the floor upon which the machine is situated by a plurality of stanchions 12 corresponding to the leg elements designated by the reference numerals 28 and 30 shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,742,327. At a suitable point along the lengths of elements 11, a pair of transverse elements 13 are secured therebetween and thereabove in abutting, side-to-side relation, and a pair of transversely spaced, parallelly disposed upright elements 14, only one of which is shown in the drawing in the interest of clarity, are connected to the upper surfaces of elements 13 and project vertically upwardly therefrom. Another pair of transverse elements 15, similar to elements 13 in section, are secured between the upper extremities of the upright elements 14, and a tensioning pulley support bracket 16 carrying a plurality of upper wire tensioning pulleys 17 projects upwardly from the vicinity of the upper extremity of at least one of the uprights 14. An upper wire 18 similar to the upper wire 38 shown in US. Patent No. 2,742,327 and brought into the machine similarly to the introduction of upper wire 38 into the machine disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,742,327 is brought over the tensioning pulleys 17 as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing and is then brought vertically downwardly through a suitable aperture formed through one of the elements 15 towards the upper die roller 19. The upper die roller 19', which is mounted for rotation on a suitable shaft extending transversely between uprights 14, is so situated with respect to the wire passing aperture formed through the element 15 that upper wire 18 makes only substantially quarter-circular contact with the circumferential groove 21 formed centrally therein as it passes around and beneath die roller 19.

A lower die roller 19 identical to the upper die roller 19 is similarlymounted for rotation on a suitable shaft element extending transversely between the uprights 14; the upper and lower die rollers 19 being spaced vertically apart only a relatively small distance, as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing.

A bristle feed wheel 22 is suitably mounted for rotation in the plane occupied by the length of upper wire 18 shown and the midpoints of die rollers 19 on a shaft 23 extending transversely between the longitudinal elements 11 and somewhat above the upper edges thereof. Bristle feed wheel 22 carries a plurality of regularly spaced, circumferentially disposed teeth 24, as well as a circumferentially disposed groove centrally formed therein extending from the outer surfaces of the teeth 24 into the feed wheel 22 a distance greater than the depth of teeth 24 and terminating at the location of the circular dashed line designated by the reference numeral 25 in FIG. 1 of the drawing. A lower wire 26 similar to the under wire shown in Us. Patent No. 2,742,327 and brought into the machine similarly to the introduction of under wire 10 into the machine disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,742,327 is brought forwardly around a pulley 27 rotatably mounted substantially beneath the transverse element 13 nearest feed wheel 22 on pulley bracket 28, and thence backwardly into the circumferential groove formed in the feed wheel 22. Lower wire 26 is then brought upwardly around the rearward side of feed wheel 22 in the circumferential groove formed therein for a distance somewhat more than half the length thereof, and then forwardly to pass between the upper and lower die rollers 19 in the central circumferential groove 21 formed in the lower die roller 19; wire 26 rising slightly as it progresses from feed wheel 22 towards lower die roller 19.

A bristle magazine 29 is suitably longitudinally mounted between the longitudinal elements 11; the lower side of magazine 29 being disposed at about the level of the upper edges of elements 11. One end of magazine 29 is open and disposed adjacent the rearward side of feed wheel 22 in such a manner that the teeth 24 thereof may extend into magazine 29 to pick up the bristles 31 transversely disposed therein at about the midpoints thereof. The magazine 29 may include means such as the pistonlike plate 32 urged forwardly by the action of helical compression spring 33 positioned around shaft 34 for pressing the bristles 31 into engagement with the teeth 24 of feed wheel 22, as well as a cover element 35 terminating just short of contact with the teeth 24 of feed wheel 22 for preventing the pressing of the bristles 31 p r y and. out of the magazine 29.

A suitably mounted arcuate element 36 is positioned closely adjacent the outer surfaces of the teeth 24 of feed wheel 22 and extends circumferentially therearound from the end of the cover element 35 of magazine 29 to a point substantially directly above the axis of rotation of feed wheel 22; the width of element 36 being substantially equal to the width of feed wheel 22. Element 36, in addition to maintaining bristles 31 in the spaces between the teeth 24 of feed wheel 22 as they are brought upwardly out of magazine 29, also supports a shaft element extending transversely thereacross and secured thereto, as best seen in FIG. 2, at a point vertically situated between the rearward side of feed wheel 22 and the axis of rotation thereof. The centerline of the shaft extending across the element 36 is somewhat lower than the centerline of the shaft supporting the upper die roller 19, but this difference in the level of these shaft centerlines is very small and barely apparent in FIG. 1 of the drawing. A roller 37 is rotatably mounted on each end of the shaft overlying element 36; each roller 37 being substantially equal in diameter to the die rollers 19 and being provided with a central circumferential groove formed therein. The distance between the inner faces of the rollers 37 is only slightly greater than the width of the element 36 and the feed wheel 22, and the distance between the outer faces of the rollers 37 is substantially equal to the length of the die rollers 19. A flexible, endless conveyor band 38 composed of a substance such as a fairly hard rubber passes over each roller 37; being seated in the circumferential groove formed therein. Each upper conveyor band 38 further passes over upper die roller 19; each being seated in another circumferential groove formed therein bet-ween the midpoint and an end thereof. The upper conveyor bands 38, when so disposed, are substantially taut and disposed in a substantially parallel, spaced, side-toside relation.

The bristle feed mechanism further includes another pair of rollers 39 identical to rollers 37 and mounted for rotation about a transverse axis on roller support brackets 41 connected to the upper surface of the transverse element 13 nearest feed wheel 22 and projecting upwardly and rearwardly therefrom. The rollers 39 are disposed at the same level as lower die roller 19, and are nearer the die rollers 19 than rollers 37 by a distance slightly less than the diameter of the rollers 37. Inasmuch as the feed wheel 22 passes between the rollers 39, each is mounted on a separate bracket 41. Each roller 39 is also provided with a central circumferential groove, and a flexible, endless lower conveyor band 42 composed of the same material as upper conveyor bands 38 passes over each roller 39; being seated in the circumferential groove formed therein. Each lower conveyor band 42 further passes over lower die roller 19; each being seated in another circumferential groove formed therein between the midpoint and an end thereof. The lower conveyor bands 42, when so situated, are substantially taut and disposed in substantially parallel, spaced, side-to-side relation.

The bristle feed mechanism further includes means for interrupting the feeding of bristles to the conveyor bands at predetermined intervals. Along these lines, an element 43 having an arcuately shaped upper end section extends upwardly adjacent each of the outer faces of feed wheel 22 near the rearward side thereof. The lower end of each element 43 is connected to a transversely disposed shaft 44 rotatably passing through an aperture in an element 45 suitably interconnected with one of the longitudinal elements 11 by means of a bracket 46, or the like. The outer curved surface of the arcuate upper end section of each of the elements 43 corresponds closely with the curvature of the periphery of feed wheel 22, and elements 43 may be pivoted about the centerline of shaft 44 to move this curved surface of each for a small distance from the position shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing, in which it in no way blocks entry of the bristles 31 into the spaces between the teeth 24 of feed Wheel 22, to a position in which it extends into magazine 29 at least as far as the teeth 24 of feed wheel 22 to block the entry of bristles 31 into the spaces therebetween. Pivotal movement of elements 43 may be provided by rotating shaft 44, which is provided with a depending link element 47 connected to one end thereof situated in the longitudinal plane of. a stanchion 12. The lower end of link element 47 is pivotally secured between the jaws of clevis 48, which in turn is mounted on the outer end of the piston rod 49 extending from one end of the air cylinder 51. The other end of air cylinder 51 is pivotally interconnected at 52 to a stanchion 12. When air is suitably introduced into air cylinder 51, the piston rod 49 moves outwardly therefrom, moving the lower end of link element 47 to rotate the shaft 44, thereby pivoting the elements 43 to obtain the results set forth hereinbefore.

The artificial tree branch making machine includes a suitable chuck carriage interconnected with the longitudinal elements 11 forwardly of die rollers 19 for longitudinal reciprocating movement with respect thereto, not shown, similar to the carriage disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,742,327. The carriage is provided with a suitable chuck, such as the chuck 24 disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,742,327, and also not shown. The chuck grasps the wires 18 and 26 at a point just forward of the die rollers 19, and as the carriage moves with respect to longitudinal elements 11 away from the die rollers 19 draws the wires 18 and 26, with bristles 31 interposed therebetween, between the die rollers 19 and intertwists the wires to form the hereinbefore mentioned article. As the wires 18 and 26 are drawn between the die rollers 19, the die rollers 19 rotate, moving the conveyor bands 38 and 42 to bring the bristles 31 clamped therebetween to the die rollers 19, where they are initially interposed between the wires 18 and 26. Movement of lower wire 26 between the die rollers 19 also causes rotation of feed wheel 22, which brings bristles 31 upwardly and forwardly from magazine 29 and introduces them into the small gap between upper conveyor bands 38 and lower conveyor bands 42. It will be apparent that the positioning of the rollers 37 somewhat below the upper die roller 19 assures a more positive clamping action of the conveyor bands 38 and 42 on the bristles 31.

When the carriage reaches its maximum distance from die rollers 19, automatic wire cutting means such as shown in US. Patent No. 2,742,327 cut the wires 18 and 26 at a point near the die rollers 19. As the point on the twisted wires 18 and 26 where they are severed should be free of bristles 31, suitable control means, not shown, may be placed at a selected point within the limits of travel of the carriage which, when activated by carriage movement, operate to introduce air into cylinder 51 to permit movement of elements 43 to interrupt the feeding of bristles 31 from magazine 29 for a predetermined interval for this purpose It will also be apparent that, in the event of inadvertent breakage of the lower wire 26, the bristle feed mechanism herein disclosed will cease to function, eliminating loss of bristles and preventing possible fouling of the machine.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the foregoing teachings. It is therefore to be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A bristle feed mechanism adapted for use in a machine for making cylindrical bristled articles having bristles secured at the midpoints thereof in spaced relation between a pair of intertwisted wires of the type in which an upper wire is brought substantially vertically downwardly to and then at least partially around and beneath the uppermost of a pair of slightly vertically spaced first rollers where intertwisting of said upper wire with a lower wire passing over the lowermost of said pair of first rollers commences, comprising:

(a) a substantially vertically disposed bristle feed wheel carrying a plurality of spaced, circumferentially disposed teeth and having a centrally disposed, circumferential groove extending thereinto a distance greater than the depth of said teeth adapted to seat over a portion of the length thereof said lower wire, said feed wheel being thereby adapted to rotate when said lower wire moves through said machine;

(b) a bristle magazine having an open end mounted adjacent said feed wheel adapted to carry a supply of bristles transversely moveable at about the midpoints thereof into engagement with the spaces between said feed wheel teeth for removal from said magazine upon rotation of said feed wheel;

(c) a pair of upper conveyor bands passing over a pair of substantially horizontally spaced second rollers one of which is disposed on each side of said feed wheel and also passing over the uppermost of said pair of first rollers between an end thereof and said supper wire with the lower edge of the substantially horizontally disposed, substantially linear lower segment of each of said upper conveyor bands situated at a level lower than the outer surface of the uppermost of said feed wheel teeth, and a pair of lower conveyor bands passing over a pair of substantially horizontally spaced third rollers one of which is situated on each side of said feed wheel and also passing over the lowermost of said pair of first rollers between an end thereof and said lower wire and disposed directly vertically beneath each of said upper conveyor bands with the upper edge of the substantially horizontally disposed, substantially linear up per segment of each of said lower conveyor bands situated at a level higher than the inner surfaces of said spaces between the uppermost of said feed wheel teeth, all said conveyor bands being moveable upon rotation of said first rollers when said upper and lower wires move through said machine to remove bristles from said spaces between said feed wheel teeth and convey said bristles while positively clamped therebetween to said pair of first rollers where said intertwisting of said upper wire and said lower wire commences; and

((1) means actuatable to prevent said bristles carried within said magazine from engaging said spaces between said feed wheel teeth.

2. The bristle feed mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said means actuatable to prevent bristle engagement with said spaces between said feed Wheel teeth includes an element disposed adjacent each face of said feed Wheel having a first arcuately shaped end section with an outer curved surface conforming to the peripheral curvature of said feed wheel, each of said elements being mounted near the other end thereof to pivot about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said feed wheel and move said curved surface of said element end section between a position in which it in no way interferes with the disposition of said bristles in the spaces between said feed wheel teeth and a position in which it blocks the disposition of said bristles in the spaces between said feed wheel teeth.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,871,775 8/1932 Cave 300-21 3,072,440 l/l963 Norris 3002 3,254,923 6/1966 Marks et al. 300-2 XR GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, JR., Primary Examiner 

